The Original Home of Chippy and Loopus!
For New Strips, go to chippyandloopus.typepad.com! copyright John Sanford 2006

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Today's strip: Close Encounter

Note: This post was edited at 12:13. I originally posted the strip at 11:00, then went to look at it at 12:06 to discover that it looked terrible and much of the dialogue was unintelligible. It turns out that after I cleaned up the dialogue in Photoshop (which I do often) I saved the layers wrong, causing the replaced dialogue to be visible as well as the new. I'm tired, what can I say. I was painting my new garden shed all day. (See Storyboredom for full story.) Sorry, and thank you for your Patience. (That would be you, Knife and Onions.)

41 comments:

This isn't a dig; more just an amused observation. I thought it was funny when I read that you clean up your writing in Photoshop. From time to time I have difficulty reading the word balloons. --Good Lord, man, how must it have look before you cleaned it up?! :)

Hey, Thanks Knife! Loopus i a fun character to write, because I just turn of my brain and think stupid.

Paul, I know I know. The only excuese I offer is that these things are damned small and thus difficult to letter properly. Maybe I should do all the lettering digitally. I'll try to make them more legible. I know that I'm going to go thhrough and re-letter 85% of these things when I publish the book. Hey, incentive to but the book, you'll actually know what the characters are saying!

Skribbl, I think that might ruin the "Tarantino effect" a little. I don't know. I'll think about it.

Mitch!! When I was your age we had stations that played Hendrix on Terrestrial radio!!! Can you imagine? Thank God for Sirius!I'm glad your enjoying the comics! Keep on coming back and I'll keep 'em coming! And tell your friends!

well then...mr domo bobo-bato mr robobobo,I took the liberty..for you..to COUNT the straight on shots that you've had before I could come to a differant staged shot. Do you know what my count was? Well I will tell you.It was 62 panels..62!!!!I know what your thinkin...Your thinkin.."screw you, twas not 62..It was 60!"...Nay say I. I too was fooled by panel "60". but panel "60" isnt staged different..its STILL a 'straight on' that you just have HIGH UP ON THE PANEL- ---CHEAT!---SO..it is panel '60' that is staged differently.And that was in the Jan 29th strip for petes (not shin or doctor) sake!Now I'm not saying you gotta go all freaky deaky crazy on the angles here. Just throw a different one in at least once every three weeks. (variety is the SPICE OF LIFE ---or is it nutmeg..no...oregano methinkest)..Comon poonjab. I dont know ya but I KNOW you know what Im talking about. And you KNOW that I know you know that.--you are my special little project, so I say it with looooove in my tweedles for ya. cuz everyone is too poootz SCARED to (lookin in YOUR direction 'county-BOY').And "anonymous"...this is not the place for INERNET COWARDS!!please dude!!GET A 'HANDEL'(amen?) :)

uh oh..well now it seems as tho i've offended some fanboys. Looksie...I'm not being a dick to 'robotchi'. I actually have a soft spot for him in my blackened lil heart. I do. But I cant just be a lemming and do what everyone else does..If its good, i say so..if its not..i say so. If its something that i think could maybe use some plusing...i'll put that out to him/them/she/it. I'm just not comfortable with being a butt sniffer, you are..I'm not judging. I assume that the point to these "blogs" is not just to put stuff up for wanton fanboys who are hoping to chat with Glen Keane; to just spooge all over the artist. "ooo your neato!" Robo is (I assume a real artist..he can take some crits. BIG BOY!!STRONG LIKE BULL!) And while I know that "robodojo" doesnt want this to be a smackdown as it has in the past. I will stop here.

But I hear you. I agree that there's nothing wrong with a little healthy criticism but counting panels? Come on. There's criticism and then there's being a dick. --I wonder if you'll take this in the spirit intended... You know, me leveling a little healthy criticism at your criticism. Or I wonder if you'll label me a butt-sniffer. Or worse! The mind boggles.

Hey Handel- I don't see a lot of dramatic camera angles in "Peanuts". Sometimes there's a good reason to stage things the way robo does. It tends to make things funnier - dramatic camera angles tend to suck the comedy out of stuff. It's a valid choice.

Keep up the good work robo. Your stuff is great, and I appreciate the courage it takes to put your stuff out there and accept criticism so well.

Ahhhhh! Now we're talkin! NOW your asking a serious and thoughtfull question! Well okay then..FIRSTLY: "Who the freeky deeky am I??""What do I Know??"Well..I could be the KING OF ALL ANIMATION ( or whatever art form), or 'joe q public'. What differance does it make. (not meant as a question,but as a statement).Is it nessesary for one to be in the BIZ? to make a comment? A crit? To have a visceral response to...a comic strip,animated movie,comic book? etc??Are we all that much of an elitist to say that you MUST work in the industry?Look..I dont give the public much credit on alot of things. I mean it took them 20 years to figure out that they kept paying for the SAME DISNEY movie!OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. But the point is...they DID figure it out. yes..even 'joe Q public' can come to a reality check--especially when its at 8 bucks a pop! You mentioned me 'counting panels'.Yup, and i'll tell you why. In comic strips as well as comics..sequential art of any type....NEEDS VARIETY. The tricky part is tryng to find the middle ground. Not TOO much, not TOO little...but juuuuuuust right.Many times the audience DOES NOT know WHY something FEELS wrong, or off. But they do FEEL like something IS indeed off. We're in a VISUAL medium sweetheart. And if you dont have the hooks to keep the audience interested..(variety of angles, variety of shots ie:close up,med shot,farshots)...you will Bore your audience. If all you have is the same shot ..over and over and over. You will bore your audience. Its sequential 101, anymousie..ITS CALLED "DYNAMICS"and sooner or later, you find out that no one is paying 8 bucks for your product and an artist with a weird name like 'PIXAR' is kickin your assy.And noooooooooo, I dont mind your critisism of me at all, if you feel i'm being a 'dick', thats fine.I'm certainly not offended by it. But when I'm right, I'm right. And I'm right. You may not like it. But it doesnt change the fact.As far as me 'labeling' you a 'buttsniffer'. WEll the juries still out on that. I'll know you how you will know me..by the posts..and I dont know you yet. So you think me a'dick'...I'm not sure yet about you..so we'll just say.."TO BE DETERMINED".

I don't mind your criticism at all, it's totally valid, I just mind that you don't seem to be coming from a place of respect and you don't seem to be that interested in being constructive with your criticism. You seem to be reveling in tearing down somebody else. Maybe it makes you feel superior, or maybe I am misreading your posts and that's not your intention. But seriously, if you hate this strip so much and the drawings are so god-awful to you, why on earth do you keep coming back?

AHAAAAAAAA! the "peanuts" argument!! FINALLY!! I was wondering when that would be lodged and I lost a bet with myself thinking it would be much MUCH EARLIER and by 'roboaragato' himself! so I was wrong and lose my bet.(so i owe myself 20 bucks and a hanny damn!!)First: "Peanuts" remains the most BRILLIANT of strips. For its subtlety,for its sincerity, and for its elegance. AND for having the maturity to KNOW what it IS. "PEANUTS" is a story."BATMAN" is a story."SPIDERMAN" is a story."CALVIN AND HOBBES" is a story."chippy and loopus" IS a story.You do the things that ENHANCE your story. That ADD to your story.You do NOT have an action packed BATMAN story and have BATMAN in a medium shot just standing there for 26 pages.You DO NOT have a far away shot on a tree as the dialogue is "KAPOW! HOBBS GET OFF ME!..tumble tumble tumble"And you DO NOT have an up shot of snoopy licking charlie browns face. WHY? because its not needed and doesnt call for it. It IS NOT that type of story OR that type of strip.For a pissy rabbit going up into the air to land a punch square on the jaw of a wolf...yeah..IT CALLS FOR IT.DEMANDS IT. And MY SHARONA...Theres no excuse for it NOT being in there. And dont gimmee da caca of "I'm going for clarity of story' (or whatever...) line. It doesnt wash.You act as if I'm asking for EVERY panel to be different and crazy. I'm not. Just once in a blue moon. THATS why I counted the panels. To illustrate the absurdity of it.let me know if you need anymore insight.:)

Handel- Actually, an interesting thing to point out here is that Robo stated up front that he was influenced by Segar's "Popeye" strips. Those strips have a lot of fights, and they're always staged in a very flat way. It makes them more cartoony, less threatening. There are lots of different choices you can make when you are staging a fight - from "The Matrix" to The Marx Brothers. It's all about the intent. And I wouldn't say that Watterson always staged the stuff in "Calvin and Hobbes" in the MOST dramatic way possible. When they were going down the hill in a sled, he picked interesting shots, this is true, but he didn't go so dramatic as to ruin the charm of his drawings.

Now 'anon'....Your begining to sound like lil 'countfunkypants". So lets go thru this slowly.I want you to find one post of mine. Just one. Where i've said that I "hated the strip".OR where i've said that I "think the drawings are GOD-AWFUL".I'll save you the search time. You wont find any. nope...not a single post. I think that you might be feeling that way due to the fact of my main crit on these types of blogs..where it seems as if so many are ..well being a butt sniffer."your so neato!" ooo i love your stuff! your sooo brilliant!"fine...they are entitled to whatever they like to think. But lets just say..for arguments sake...That if ONE person has something different to say that doesnt reach the heights of a "OH JEEPERS GOLLY,YOUR SO BRILLIANT!, WILL YOU PEE ON ME PLEEEEESE!"..then maybe, just maybe that ONE person is gonna look like he HATES the work. You might even ascribe words to him that he never said. (ie: think the drawings are godawfull; hate the strip).As far as I know,,,I may be the ONLY one ( or maybe one of the few), to offer sincere constructive crits to 'roboboto'.And it is OUT OF RESPECT that I give it. If you go back,and search...the very first post I sent to him was a compliment AND a suggestion. (haha..it might have BEEN to jazz up the shots some!)I do not 'revel in tearing someone down'. I reject the notion that I HAVE 'torn anyone down'. It doesnt 'make me feel 'superior'. ha! It doesnt help ME at all whether someone takes my crits or not.But growth is important to an artist, and many of them have egos. But the mature ones know that once they get passed the egos that has come from listening TOO MUCH to the quacking masses ((ohhhh neeeeet)), then you can fly. Truley fly."robochachi" is a big boy! And I'm sure he can take a little suggestion as well as the heaps of sug-AH that comes with this strip/blog.NEXT!!

Okay, Handel, I guess I wass misreading your posts. I believe you when you say you are acting out of your respect - but when you say "let me know if you need any more insight", well, it sounds a bit arrogant.

Here's the problem as I see it: your absolute certainty that you're "right". Is there such a thing in an artistic endeavor? It seems to me that a smart artist sets himself some guidelines and adheres to them. The Roadrunner cartoons are a good example. Chuck Jones had himself a set of hard and fast rules and, in sticking to his guns, he created a well-loved set of cartoons. Now, I'm not saying that 'Robo' has set himself a similar discipline but it is there whether he realizes it or not. It's called style. Just because you don't like every little thing he's done doesn't make you "right" and him "wrong". It's a specious argument and, frankly, tiresome.

It's also a shade condescending that you think our host here would benefit so from your tutelage. I'm an artist myself and I've known plenty of other artists in my time. You're the first I've run across to take such a ham-fisted and overbearing approach to criticism. We've passed out of the realm here of the constructive and into the "this-isn't-the-way-I-would-do-it-therefore-it's-bad". What does anyone gain from that?

Not a problem "anon". I enjoyed it. Believe it or not, YOU have been the most eloquent out of the lot that i've spoken with. Thoughtfull and poised."countcrapmypants" has nothing on you. For one, You seem to think. And I DIG THAT ABOUT YOU, MAN!We dont have to agree...but lets understand one another,huh?As far as sounding 'arrogant'. I can understand that, truely I can. But i've been in many art "industries"...and I deal with many an ego, many an artist and many who arent artists but like to play one in real life. I dont like excuses. And I dont like games. I love what we do...comics,animation,strips,illustration,etc. Enough to be honest with and about it.And like every other person, will never stop learning and will have MORE to learn than I will ever have the time for. I tell it how it is. 100% good with the bad. I know that sometimes I can come off kinda hard. But chances are if thats the case..there is probably some game playing goin on..and I just dont have the patience for that.

Well...now it appears as though i've stirred a hornets nest. And in-so-doing ruffled a few egos with a stray suggestion. WARNING: do NOT take my comment to 'robo' as directed to YOURSELF. You seem as tho i said your ass is fat. Your hiney MAY indeed be fat--but i havent seen YOUR ass. I cannot comment. I've seen 'robo's' ass.. And it was not fat.It was indeed lacking...needed some extra junk in the trunk and I told him where I think he could find some twinkies.NOW to your comments:Yes..there IS such thing as "artistic endevour", But that can turn into a 'crutch' if you let it. Something to VALIDATE your excuses and keep your ego from getting bruised. (I MEANT TO DO THAT!MY MEDIOCRITY TIS MY GENIUS!)And so many artist fall into that.Why? cuz its eeeeeeeeeeeaaazzzyyyyyy! oh so...You bring up Chuck Jones..sheer brilliance. Like Tex. Brilliant.If Chuck had a cartoon that was a Road Runner Cartoon and it was just a far away shot of them just standing there...for seven whole minutes..would that sell? no.Now thats a fact right? Or would you argue that. what if he did it a second time---a different lead in with a different title card..same EXACT THING. for seven ....loong.....minutes.And lets just say..he did it again!! a THIRD TIME! NOW...with all Chucks audience, with all his fame as a director,animator...would YOU go see that? Do you think joe blow public would? Again I point to the Disney films of the last 20 years or so. ITS THE SAME FRIGGIN THING OVER AND OVER AN OVER!! The public got it. FINALLY. "hey stella..aint we got dis on the video?" "nope barney thats beeeeuty and da mermaid that we's got")comon..." ITs called STYLE"...again..comon.you could say that about anything. crap...mediocrity is sold as "style" these days. In fact I saw poo glued to a canvas once..is that "style"?Now I'm not saying that robo is mediocre..far from it.What I AM saying is that he needs to take into account. Its NOT just the story, its HOW YOU TELL IT.AND ya know what? yeah...there IS right and wrong ways to tell a story. The fact that you deny that there IS, interests me, but just a bit.Could "our host here benifit from MY tutelage?" In a word....yes. Yes he could. As he could from EVERYONE on here--even the ones he would disagree with. IF he's wise...and takes even the comments that he disagrees with and says " you know what? I dont agree with this person..BUT..something just isnt clikin with him.hmmmm". If he takes that in, and keeps it under his wing, then even subconsiously..he will think about that when laying out his thumbnails for a story. Because again, IF he's wise, he'll think..for every ONE of those loud assy types, theres a hundred others. And if you dont grow with that knowledge...then the hundred grow to a thousand..and then? Do the math."Overbearing" fine.."hamfisted" yum.thats ok. AM I RIGHT? You betcha.Can he learn from me? ABSOFREEKY LUTLEY!! Can I learn from him? You betcha! But you gotta admit that You have a lot TO LEARN. Before you grow artisticly. You...I'm not so sure.

oops, and for the record anon number two (appropriate). I never said "this is the way I would do it..so ITS BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD". Never said its bad. Not once. I meant to say that in my last spanking to you.((THANK YOU SIR! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!))

It's ever so tiring when someone has to tell you they've just "spanked" you. I have a feeling that if they have to TELL you then no such spanking has occurred.

You have a very absolutist streak in you, sir. I'm afraid I must disagree with you when you say (or at least imply) that the artist can learn from ALL of his critics. Let me give you an easy example: Harry Knowles of the illustrious Ain't It Cool website. For some reason I see this guy's quotes appear in actual movie advertising as if his ramblings had any validity whatsoever. The guy's an idiot manchild and barely capable of making sense in his mother tongue. The fact that ANYone pays him even the slightest attention is baffling to me. He's a clear example to me that some criticism is really just white noise and deserves to be tuned out. --And before you jump to any conclusions, I'm not calling YOUR observations white noise. In fact I think you make some valid points. It's more your demeanor that I find unnecessarily overpowering.

Again, let me agree with you if you don't mind: any artist who thinks he doesn't have anything to learn is deluded. Conversely, any artist who delivers his word like th Gospel from on high I would consider similarly misguided. --I'm not mentioning any names here.

I don't see the validity in your counter-argument as regards Chuck Jones. Would the Roadrunner cartoons have been successful had they been created in the manner in which you have laid out? Of course not. What's your point. To me, style is an undeniable fact. It's what differentiates my work from yours, Jones' from Avery's, etc., etc., etc. The fact that those cartoons are as good as they are is because Jones had a particular vision but that doesn't mean that Jones is going to make those correct aesthetic decisions every time out of the gate. Have you seen his Tom and Jerry cartoons? They're awful. Jones' style and Hanna Barbera's styles were incompatible. Not right. Not wrong. Just different. --Would the comic strip we're debating be as successful as it is if Charles Schultz were doing it? I'm going to hazard a guess and say no but not for the reason that you think. There's a viewpoint here that transcends the simple artistic mechanics that you're obsessing over. The strip is crude and crass and that is one of its virtues. The art is communicting what it needs to communicate: Robo's particular vision and his sense of humor. Despite the lack of flashy camera work I'm getting the sensibility that I think Robo is trying to project. It's coming through. Isn't that ultimately the job of narrative? To communicate?

Let me agree with you one last time: I acknowledge the fact that you never said that the comic strip in question was BAD. I was making a point: just because the strips aren't the way you would do them doesn't mean that their author has somehow stumbled. So, no, I know you didn't say they were bad but they are different and that's the nature of art. Does it communicate? That's the most important question.

woops..sorry to another "anon" who brought up POPEYE. I didnt meant to ignore you punkin.If he (robo) said he wanted to stage things like they did in 1928..wellll Thats a choice made. I dont quite get it. Its a little like some one saying "well lets do a full feature animation the way they did it in Oswald shorts".I've never been too crazy about Popeye strips --altho i've always loved the character.Kinda weird.But again...the popeye stuff is NOT and never has been so extreme. THIS is. And I still cant seem to grasp patterning the staging after something that really was never all that great, strip wise. hmmm. heck..why not go with "garfield" then..(heyy,,,wait a sec!!)hahahaa!You bring up Watterson...No he DIDNT DO EVERY THING DRAMATIC..Please people hear me...Im not saying that every panel has to be gravy on the griddle. But like Watterson...choose some spots to spice it up. I'm a big believer in rest points in EVERYTHING --movies, animation, comics,you name it...but not the entire thing. There texturing that has to happen.In dialogue, and then you have your visual running alongside that. You have to 'pace' each thing.have to eat now. then maybe poop.

Handel, I understand that all you are trying to do is give feed back, and true "Robo" can take it and I'm sure he appreciates someone that tells it like he sees it, but you made a statement,"And while I know that "robodojo" doesnt want this to be a smackdown as it has in the past. I will stop here." So why do you continue? Don't you have anything better to do on a Friday night? These comments are intended for commenting on the current strip, not to be treated as a chat room where you fight your battles. Just a thought, and before you ask, I'm at work, no need to "comment" on what I'm doing on my friday night, now saturday morning.

And I'm not a fanboy looking to spooge all over the artist...I'm the artists brother.

Well, I've done my doody and ate (not at the same time and not the same thing). First, let me say THANKS 'ANONY' for writing. I appreciate it.No really, I do! I appreciate the long post and it being reasonably thought out. I dont take it for granted.That said: Its EVER SO tiring when someone keeps saying that its "ever so tiring",line over and over and over.You got sumpin to say twinkles, say it so that it doesnt conjer up the image in my head of a 3rd year out of school kid sippin 'chinnoes'(pinky up),at the local "java and jazz" listening to some folk music playing hippy wanna be with a tie dye hanky in her four day unwashed hair--with other elitest pals.I've got some hangies and I take it YOU've got hangies too,so talk like you do, otherwise...its just ever so tiring.ONWARD:"YOU HAVE AN ABSOLUTIST STREAK IN YOU"...absolutly! I hear what you are saying when you are saying that "an artist cant learn from all his critics". But understand..(and this might be my own fault). I do NOT believe that everyone falls into the catagory of:TRUE CRITIC.FOR INSTANCE: a person that says "well the film was fine, although i thought the cop needed to have a banana in his ass."ESPECIALLY when the film was "Mary Poppins". THAT is NOT a true critic.I am talking about thoughtfull people, with insight. true insight.I dont believe that every one who has a "CRITIQUE" is a valid critic. NOR do I believe that everyone who has HIGH PRAISE is honest in giving his high praise. Funny how much easier it is to accept THAT than the very simple comment that one might wanna keep in mind the idea of staging some boards differently.hmmmmm AND ALSO funny that all this broo-ha HA HAAAA is coming from other sources than the guy himself. hmmmmmmmm..HARRY KNOWLES? I have no opinion about him. think what you will.I hope i've clarified for you.My demeanor?..well..what can I say?Although I think it might be something else bothering you, entirely. I think that maybe you've been babied too much. I think that maybe you've been held so close to the bossoms that you dont LIKE REAL crits.And heres why. I HAVE NOT said anything. NOT ANYTHING like i think the strip is aweful. JUST that I think it needs some different staging--ONCE IN AWHILE. Whats the big, darlin'?? You gonna cry and stomp your feet and go take your easle home cuz I didnt let ya suckle before hand.sheesh...:"again..let me agree with you if you dont mind...">>>Oh I never mind THAT, always welcome!SOMETIMES even expected.Unless your trying to conjer up that "pinky up" image again. ::"Conversely, any artist who delivers his word like th Gospel from on high I would consider similarly misguided. --I'm not mentioning any names here."" Oh comon... Its EVER so tiring when someone says I'm not mentioning any names here". Dont be such a girl,Your talkin about me! say so Pinky.Lets get something straight. I've given a crit, I think you have less to say about my crit and more how I say it?? Is that right? I dont CARE if someone takes my crit to heart. I dont. I DO CARE when someone is hiding behind falsehoods like " oh thats my style man" I dont like dishonesty, and I like it even less when their dishonest to themselves and expect ME to buy into it.The fact that you dont understand my point about the road runner toons, is amazing. I'll go slow on it for you..you even answered the question yourself..OF COURSE THEY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULL IF they were done as per my example..thats the point. Its extreme, i guess..but you dont get that?YES, jones had a vision.He knew how to make a GREAT CARTOON.In his heyday..he was king!I love him and his stuff more than i like Avery. Of course he's NOT going to make those same choices everytime out. My point is that he's not going to do something sooooo FAR GONE GOOFY as to just stage everythng from a standing position for seven minutes for the sake of "style" or "vision". Toss away ALL the things that make a short funny and dynamic and (((gasp))) successfull!You dont do that for "vision". You do that out of another word entirely,precious: "self indulgence".And I dont believe that thats what "robo" is doing. I dont believe it for ONE bit. I wont patronize him and say that its "OUT OF STYLE" that hes doing it. I think he's just making a mistake. Getting wrapped up in a sort of "stream of consciousness" creation of a strip.And things like that often show you what you need to work on or be more conscious of. Simple. The strip AS YOU SAY , IS indeed crass and crude, and i dont have any problem with that. ALTHOUGH it needs to be done right. In a clever way. ALOT. Other wise, it will blead together and stop being intersting. Just another fart, just another spooge joke.etc etc...That said, Just because its 'crude and crass', It doesnt have to be lazy. I'm not saying robo is being lazy..not yet anyway...but one has to be aware of the temptation to just spit it out, without any thought other than to just GET IT OUT! The job of narrative IS to communicate-true.BUT (and this is important, now so perk up those pointy ears)..The object of a VISUAL MEDIUM IS TO TELL A STORY IN AS INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING WAY AS POSSIBLE.Otherwise just WRITE it, or do stick figures. If your not willing to even think of a different angle for this panel, then it REALLY reverts back to..well...that word i've used before. "Self indulgence".And if your honest about it, then i suppose that there is nothing wrong with that. But if your serious,In doing something more than just making some of your pals fart in their pants while they laff. Then you at least put a different angel in every say ..hmmm 20 panels or so.Fight the temptation In being like those who would sip their CHINNOS with pinky up making excuses for laziness saying.."no..thats my style man." You said::"""I was making a point: just because the strips aren't the way you would do them doesn't mean that their author has somehow stumbled."" It has nothing to do with the way I would do them, It was One..ONE SMALL crit. again.."sequential 101" brutha. Pick an artform. Any artform.(sequentially).The narrative is NOT JUST in the words you say. ITS VISUALLY as well. What makes something strong? visually I mean.What makes something WEAK? anything? or can it be reasoned away by saying, "dude..its my style, you understand what i'm SAYING so i'VE succeeded". WRONG.And deep down, I think you know it. The fact that your playing this game..well,... ITs just SOOOOOOO tiring.

well hello "dsdeputy".I take your question as a sincere one.OH your his Brother..are you the "jim" that i read a reply to from "robochikachika boomboom"?If so,helllo to ya.I'll tell you why I continue "dsjimdeputy". Because people keep asking me questions. Why..It would be rude if i just let them hang in the wind wouldnt it? Of course it would.Its like that old daffy duck cartoon, with the hillbilies, When they have daffy in the stove, PA HILLBILLY: "izat DUCK ready maaaa?" MA HILLBILLIE: " NOT YET PA! I KEEP LIGHTING THE MATCH AND HE KEEPS A'BLOWIN THEM OUT!" And yes ..I know its for commenting on the current strip, and my comment also APPLIES to the current strip. Altho--i hadnt seen the current one up as yet. Is it up? I'll have to check again. I think he's late on it..HE'S FIRED!!And yes, there always things i could be doing on a friday nite thats better than this, I could be fighting for world peace by doing little cartoons about dolphins and uncle sam, Or maybe starting a save the tweedle bugs campaign.Truth is, I have a rare night off, and I'm slumming doing nothin'. Tis nice..REAL NICE.I know your not a fanboy lookin to splooge all over the artist. BUT..be carefull my nite worker..just by being a reletive of an artist, you are fair game for being sploooged ON!!! (lots of creepy fanboys aboot...looking to twist on some unknowing brothers nipplets to get close to an artist..dont say nuthin..but i think "countfunkula" is one of them..shhhhhh)actually i need to go to bed now.work tomorow. bye bye "deputy".Stay safe you hear?

Crikey! What a lot of typing! Isn't the point of this exercise to draw a small strip quickly? I've always liked the sort of austere medium shot look of comic strips! The strips are too small to go all "crazy angles" in!

Anyway, why has one of Britain's foremost german-born composers come back from the dead to critique an internet comic?

yeah it WAS a lot of typing wasnt it?And yeah it WAS INTERESTING! comon..ya gotta admit that!Thoughtfull, Healthy and spirited debate is always more interesting than the "dude you rock." comments that all so often crop up. And no, "knifemyonions", the point of an excercise is NOT JUST to draw a strip quickly. ANYONE can do that. The point of an exercise, ANY exercise is to keep making progress. To improve in SOME way. You exercise to lose your bagage, to trim your fat ass (in what ever catagory).definition :.."a maneuver, operation, or drill carried out for training and discipline".The key word for me being..DISCIPLINE.Does a person learning kickboxing,just kick in any ole fashion? Or is there a way to learn it. A "technique." And "anony"..well at least we are now starting to come to an understanding. And its good that your coming to be honest with yourself.Look the point is; that I'm coming from a more traditional point of view, where discipline is important, Where You strive for a particular standard.YOU are coming from a more "modern" approach where the feeling is that standards are not nessesary. And discipline is only a word. THEREFOR laziness is acceptable. Two different approaches. Entirely. What ever WORKS for you, I suppose. (is it workin for ya?) whos up for some coffee (or tea for the ladies)?

Perhaps you missed the sarcasm in my reply. With the new day my head's on a little straighter I think. I'm bored with the whole thing. In part because of your repeated assertions that you've somehow got me figured out. Nonsense. You don't know me and I don't know you. I have some theories of course but I don't want to open up another can of worms. I feel like we've eaten up enough of Robo's bandwith as it is.

Handel, you can call me "countpoopmy pants" or whatvever all you want. Until you put up your own stuff, you are a bloviating bag of shit. Your "opinions" are worthless, and so are you. I have yet to see you on kartoon kagematch. Or what part of "you aren't welcome on storyboredom" don't you undertand?